GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING - II
Course Overview
Dr. Nasrullah Abeer
ground
1
SIVA
Objective
To apply principles of soil mechanics to
engineering
problems
pertaining
to
retaining structures, foundations and
embankments.
2
Course Overview
(continued)

Earth Pressures: Definition, pressure at rest,
active and passive earth pressures. Coulomb's
and Rankine's theories. Bell’s equation for
cohesive soils. Earth pressure diagrams for
different loading configurations.

Bearing Capacity of Soils: Definition of: gross,
net, ultimate, safe and allowable bearing capacity.
Methods of obtaining bearing capacity:
presumptive values from codes, from plate load
test. Bearing capacity theories. Bearing capacity
from SPT and CPT data.
3
Course Overview

(continued)
Settlement Analysis
Definition, total settlement, differential settlement,
angular distortion, immediate settlement. Primary
and
secondary
consolidation
settlements.
Normally and pre-consolidated soils. Mechanics of
consolidation, theory of one dimensional
consolidation,
assumptions
and
validity,
Oedometer test: determination of compression
index and coefficient of consolidation, magnitude
and time rate of consolidation settlement. Causes
of settlement and methods of controlling
settlement. Allowable total and differential
4
settlement.
Course Overview


(continued)
Slope Stability
Types of slopes, Factors affecting stability and
remedies. Types of failure. Methods of analysis:
Taylor's stability number method, Swedish circle
method.
Earth and Rock Fill Dams
Definition of an earth dam, types of earth and
rockfill dams, Components of an earth dam and
their functions. General design considerations and
typical cross-sections.
5
Course Overview




(continued)
Introduction to deep foundations:
Types of piles, load carrying capacity of piles,
group action, negative skin friction, pile load test.
Soil Improvement
Basic principles, objectives and methods.
Soil Dynamics
Sources of dynamic loading, spring-mass-dashpot
system, application to machine foundations,
liquefaction.
Introduction to Geotechnical Computer
Software
6
Distribution of Marks

Theory
Assignments/Quiz (7.5 +7.5)
 Project
 Mid Semester Exam
 End Semester
Total

:15.0
: 7.5
:15.0
:37.5
75.0

Labs/Viva Voce Exam (15+10) 25

Total
100
7
Lab Tests
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Direct Shear Test
Standard Penetration Test (SPT)
Plate Load Test
Consolidation Test
Unconfined Compression Test
8
Recommended Books
1. Foundation Analysis and Design by Joseph E.
Bowles (5th edition), McGraw-Hill
2. Principles of Foundation Engineering by Braja M.
Das, Cengage Learning
3. Soil Mechanics in Engineering Practice by K.
Terzaghi and R. B. Peck John Wiley and Sons
4. Embankment Dams by H.D. Sharma, Oxford and
IBH Publishing Co, Pvt Ltd.
9